Start me up!

mcmac74

Active member
Hi


I used to record on a stand alone digital recorder korg D1200 but after a long break I've started looking at upgrading to PC or mac based recording on a DAW. I've started off messing around on the bandlab DAW (not cakewalk by bandlab) because it has an android app which I can use to tap out some drum tracks and other midi backing whilst I'm holding the new baby or during downtime at work...I don't have endless hours to record these days! I've realised that few people use this DAW and that my PC is probably not the best for recording on. I'm feeling fairly perplexed by the various options out there...I figure it's best to outline what I need to do and hopefully someone can suggest the best affordable options. Music making is a hobby only so not overly concerned about high end options. So....


1. I will be recording acoustic guitar and vocals via a condenser mic. I also use line in guitar and bass plus on board effects/ modeling (of whichever suggested DAW). I have a focusrite scarlett solo for this which I know is basic but I don't think I need more as a one man band.

2. I would like the DAW to have a wide selection of drum kits which I can programme into a pattern on a song and then record tracks alongside.

3. I would rather not use an actual keyboard but be able to tap out notes on a virtual keyboard into the song which I've been able to do on my phone in bandlab. I assume I would need a touch screen pc or iPad (or similar) for this or are there other work arounds?

4. I wouldnt need to record more than one instrument at a time.

5. I don't think I'll need more than 12-16 tracks

6. I'd like the DAW to have a wide range of guitar modeling / midi sounds for me to mess around with. I'd like to be able to use these in the form of keys I press in real time as i record. I'm not familiar with midi so if I'm sounding like a dumbass,I apologise.

7. I need a computer that can handle whichever DAW I go with so I don't suffer slowed tracks, distortion and constantly varying latency which has been my experience with bandlab. My pc is an Acer Aspire ES1 - 531. Processor is Intel R Pentium. CPU N3700 @ 1.6 GHZ. RAM is 8GB of which 7.83GB is usable. System type states it is 64 bit x 64 based processor.

8. I need a DAW. I suppose I'm looking for suggestions based on the info above. A few people have suggested Reaper and I'm aware that cakewalk by bandlab is free. I've also considered using garageband. I guess they're the three I'm considering at the moment.


Sorry for the long post...any suggestions and recommendations very welcome!


Thanks

Mark
 
Hi Mark, the 1.6G PC could be marginal form more than a few tracks and pluggins but ffs ditch the Solo and buy a proper 2 mic channel AI with MIDI (I shall say it again. NI KA6)

Reaper is your best bet because it is very efficient of PC resources.

At some point consider some good monitors, in excess of $1000 pr, in the meantime invest in some very good open backed headphones. If I have the number right, Beyer DT770 Prp.

Dave.
 
Dave...I went for the scarlett as it seemed a well reputed entry point for someone who'd never done anything away from standalone recorders and had a recording break of 10 years...in retrospect I was probably a bit hasty as midi ports would be useful given that I will probably invest in a keyboard midi controller. I've read that I can get an adapter to enable me to use the midi direct into the PC rather than through an AI?

I think I'm likely to go with Reaper for the DAW...a PC upgrade is likely next on the list of spends....

Thanks
Mark
 
Just seen your reply oldepro...I'm very much the hobbyist and my experience was only ever with cassette 4 tracks and latterly a 12 track digital recorder. I've never used midi and never used plug ins.. only onboard effects the recorder came with. I've not done anything for 10 years but keen to get going again!

Thanks for the advice...I'm gonna see how it goes with reaper on the current PC and look to pick up a 2nd hand midi keyboard.

Mark
 
Hi mcmac74.........you don't mention what you'll be playing your tracks back with. Do you use a certain sound system and or a set of headphones? Since you've done all this before I'm assuming you get that what you listen back on is fairly crucial. As for a DAW....I use Reaper and it's been awesome. It really doesn't require a lot of PC "horsepower".
 
There is of course a vast amount of dicussion as to what constitutes "accurate" monitor speakers. There are are also cultural differences.

I understand that there are cheaper monitors that some say are not bad and $1k was a throwout figure and much depends upon the users expections and needs.

My view is, use headphones, audio systems, cars until or if you feel the need to upgrade.

(I am saving for Result 6s!)

Dave.
 
Hi mcmac74.........you don't mention what you'll be playing your tracks back with. Do you use a certain sound system and or a set of headphones? Since you've done all this before I'm assuming you get that what you listen back on is fairly crucial. As for a DAW....I use Reaper and it's been awesome. It really doesn't require a lot of PC "horsepower".

I've never played back on anything other than an old Sony audio system which had decent quality speakers..not advised I know but the mixes I made on it always sounded good across a range of devices and audio outputs...it fired up fine after 10 years so I'll be sticking with that until I can save up for good monitors if the budget and my enthusiasm merits it!

Can someone advise on the best options to get a keyboard midi running into reaper, given that my focusrite solo doesn't have midi ports?

Cheers
Mark
 
I understand where you are coming from. But initially none of those will help the OP achieve what he is trying to do.
Sometime down the road, budget permitting, he may well want to upgrade the listening capability but for now he needs to be able to produce CDs.

Ok, I must interject here...

How is he going to 'produce CD's' without the ability to listen?

I get it, budget concerns are a limitation, but...

Not a great argument IMO.

What is the point of recording anything if you don't address how you listen to it?

Again, I understand, but the weakest link I had when I first started was the ability to hear accurately what I was recording.

It took years to realize I was shooting myself and others in the head, by not paying attention to what I was listening/recording/mixing with.

If I knew then what I know now.. Well, I might not be here making a point. lol!

It takes a bunch of consolidations when budget is concerned. I do agree it is best to just create and move forward when budget isn't there to upgrade. But keep in mind that if you can't hear what you create correctly, you are making it tough on yourself to get it right.

Do what you can. Listen on multiple systems and learn from what you have, and how to work with it. But change that ASAP so you don't have to second guess while you create.

Cheers!
 
or a midi keyboard that connects via USB


+1 to that^^^^^^^^^
I've had both in my time and they both work equally well but the MIDI keyboard that connects via USB is the ultimate 'plug in and play' beast. Ironically, it wasn't like that in 2009 when I first plugged it in !
 
or a midi keyboard that connects via USB

Indeed and there are two basic choices,

A fully self-sounding synth which has the advantage that you get true, zero latency monitoring and the ability to noodly without the PC gear being fired up (they all have headphone outs)

Or a dumb, keyboard controller such as the Evolution Ekeys49 I bought my son years ago.

For the former, DO check out charity shops! I go into many and often see synths and organs at siily, like £50, markups. But DO check they have MIDI ports. You would be suprised how many grand looking instruments don't!

Dave.
 
or a midi keyboard that connects via USB

+1 to that^^^^^^^^^
I've had both in my time and they both work equally well but the MIDI keyboard that connects via USB is the ultimate 'plug in and play' beast. Ironically, it wasn't like that in 2009 when I first plugged it in !

Indeed and there are two basic choices,

A fully self-sounding synth which has the advantage that you get true, zero latency monitoring and the ability to noodly without the PC gear being fired up (they all have headphone outs)

Or a dumb, keyboard controller such as the Evolution Ekeys49 I bought my son years ago.

For the former, DO check out charity shops! I go into many and often see synths and organs at siily, like £50, markups. But DO check they have MIDI ports. You would be suprised how many grand looking instruments don't!

Dave.

Midi keyboard direct into pc sounds like my simplest option for now . Thanks all ?
 
You do not need 10000usd speakers to produce CDs.
This may be hard to grok, but to many of us money is scarce and not something to throw around without an overwhelming compelling reason.
And depending on the hobby vs job ratio many people would say their speakers are plenty good enough even if you do not like them.

There is a reason that not everybody uses the only one top of the line device.
And that there are SO many choices at all price levels.

Headphones will tell you more than any speaker can and for a lot less money.

I was no suggesting the OP has to get $1000 monitors. I just don't want him to waste his money on some cheap devices named for a Newtonian Law. The market is flooded with so called monitors and I was merely pointing out that they don't really deserve the name until they get close to $500 per.

Dave.
 
I was no suggesting the OP has to get $1000 monitors. I just don't want him to waste his money on some cheap devices named for a Newtonian Law. The market is flooded with so called monitors and I was merely pointing out that they don't really deserve the name until they get close to $500 per.

Dave.


Right.
Everyone has a budget...and often that's the deciding factor for what you buy, and then that becomes your level of excellence until your budget lets you raise the bar...but you can't judge gear quality entirely based on your budget...and even the guy at home doing it entirely as a side hobby wants to have a certain level of quality, and each person has to decide what that is...though again, too often the decisions are based purely on budget, often not on reality, and that is what a lot of inexpensive gear manufactures are counting on, so we now have an overabundance of inexpensive no-name gear. It's not all bad...but you really have to cherry pick through it.

Otherwise...I see you are back from your short medical hiatus. I hope it all went well for you. :thumbs up:
 
You do not need 10000usd speakers to produce CDs.
This may be hard to grok, but to many of us money is scarce and not something to throw around without an overwhelming compelling reason.
And depending on the hobby vs job ratio many people would say their speakers are plenty good enough even if you do not like them.

There is a reason that not everybody uses the only one top of the line device.
And that there are SO many choices at all price levels.

Headphones will tell you more than any speaker can and for a lot less money.

Did you not even read what you quoted from me?

I have a strange feeling we have met here before...
 
Indeed if they make those. I have not seen such a device but I never looked for one with usb ability.

Most contemporary midi keyboards connect via USB, and finding one with the usual DIN connections is becoming increasingly harder.

Someone mentioned the Evolution keyboard, which is one I have, and that has both USB and DIN, but that is now the exception. The newer Roland A49 that I have only has USB.
 
Thanks for the info.

I have not looked at keyboards for a long long time.

---------- Update ----------



I have trouble reading. Sorry if I missed something.

It doesn't matter. I could actually not care less. People do what they do. I just live my life and help out when I can here.
 
"Otherwise...I see you are back from your short medical hiatus. I hope it all went well for you. "

Yes, thank you Miroslav. Post op recovery has been a bit fraught but at 74 to be expected? Home now and getting about fine.

Dave.
 
After the robust discussion regarding monitoring and how much to spend I thought I'd post this up...its stuff I recorded 15 years ago and have finally got round to putting up online.. not expecting anyone to critique the whole album but I'm interested in what folk make of the dynamics and mix of the songs. The whole album was monitored and mixed on a Sony stereo with decent but basic 20w speakers. I've had a few people mention that I should really invest in proper monitors and I'm wondering how this finished item stands up and what difference using proper monitors would make?

Stars of Bravo by Lone Star Laundry on Spotify


Thanks
Mark
 
I haven't had much of a chance to do anything but a very brief listen, but in general I think the songs have scrubbed up ok. They may be a bit bright, and light on the bottom end, but ultimately that's an expression of musical taste rather than a flaw, even if it is a consequence of your monitoring system.
 
Back
Top